Gulf Coast
flavors S
ometimes, you just have to get your Cajun on! A step into Dani Rae’s rustic décor will transport you to that ‘friends and family throw down’ that only could happen on a hot summer night in the back yard along the shores of the Gulf Coast.
classic recipe from San Francisco. It includes tilapia,
We dare you to take the plunge and head up to
restaurant, which they named after their daughters,
DaniRae’s Gulf Coast Kitchen and get ready to
always had a true love of cooking. He followed a
Denton for a delicious dip in the shore waters at kick back, relax and enjoy great gulfcoast dining!
This family-friendly local restaurant and bar on
the south side of Denton speaks with a distinctly local accent. It’s a drawl that emanates from the seafood dishes on the menu, which run
scallops, shrimp and mussels.
Beavers also sells seafood for Farmer’s Seafood
based in Shreveport.
“That way I get to see what’s coming in fresh and
get the first pick of what’s out there,” he said.
Beavers, and his wife of 34 years, Jan, own the
Dani and Rachael. Gary, a registered architect, has
dream and in 2013 took courses at the Culinary Institute in New York. It was through a business
partner in his construction business that Gary became a partner in what is now Dani Rae’s.
“I helped design the building when
“Gary loves to it opened as Three Fins. I became a to grilled or blackened seafood, cook for people partner after it changed to Frilly’s pastas, fried seafood platters of all and loves to please and two of the original partners left. The next thing I knew I owned the persuasions, and house specials that people with whole thing,” Gary said with a chuckle. include more than a few things that his food.” “I inherited a Cajun-style restaurant. aren’t seafood. Few neighborhood from raw oysters and seafood fondue
restaurants execute as wide an array of
We’ve stayed true to those roots but made the
dishes as excellently and consistently as Dani Rae’s..
recipes more authentic.”
scratch with time proven, authentic recipes, with
family passion. While Gary oversees the operations,
alligator, catfish or delicious chicken fried steak.
daughter, Dani and son-in-law, Nick manage Dani
All of the dishes at Dani Rae’s are prepared from
distinctive flavors. Order the fried shrimp, frog legs, Maybe you’d prefer Louisiana’s spicy cuisine. No problem. Try the Jambalaya or their signature dish Louisiana-style Barbecue Shrimp. In the mood
The restaurant business for the Beavers’ is a
Jan handles the advertising and bookkeeping. Their
Rae’s. Oldest daughter, Rachael, helped develop new recipes.
Jan says part of Dani Rae’s success is Gary’s
Casual New Orleans Style by Sarah Bays
new dish, he takes it out to customers get input. He has improved the recipes and elevated the dishes to a whole new level of delicious. We’ve had a lot of transplants from Hurricane Katrina say, ‘Oh my gosh, I haven’t had this food since we left home.” Nowadays, Gary has someone else do most of the cooking, and the spicy, savory flavors of the food are still as succulent. “I’ve never met anybody who cared so much about every aspect of his work,” Gary said of his head chef, Julian. “The health department says they have never seen such a clean kitchen. He has grown from our line cook to running the whole kitchen, and recently, we made him a partner in Dani Rae’s” The Beavers’ keep the atmosphere as flavorful as the food with live entertainment on Thursdays. There’s also baked oyster night on Tuesdays, which offers six different savory and delicious varieties. Dani Rae’s has a full-service bar and happy hour drinks every day. During crawfish season, patrons come in and eat pounds and pounds of crawfish, Gary said. After the crawfish season ends, Dani Rae’s creates a different special each week. Cast a little gumbo and coconut shrimp into the mix, along with the fun, laid back neighborhood atmosphere, and you have a nibble of what you can expect to catch at Dani Rae’s. Be sure to visit Dani Rae’s at 2303 S Interstate
for a smorgasbord of seafood? Try the Cioppino
service-oriented mindset.
35 E, Denton, TX 76205. Call for more information at
sellers. Owner Gary Beavers has perfected this
people with his food. When Gary is working on a
www.daniraesdenton.com
Fisherman’s Stew, one of the restaurant’s biggest 10 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | FEBRUARY 2016
“Gary loves to cook for people and loves to please
940.898.1404 or visit their website at